By Elizabeth Goldman
Editor-In-Chief
Creating an incredibly engaging atmosphere with sparkling personality and flawless vocals, Reneé Rapp’s first show of her “Everything to Everyone” debut tour at the Troubadour in West Hollywood on Dec. 6 was a wildly memorable experience for fans.
Rapp released her debut EP, “Everything to Everyone,” on Nov. 11 after her first single, “Tattoos” gained popularity on Tik Tok in early 2022. Prior to the EP, she released two additional singles, “In the Kitchen,” and “Don’t Tell my Mom.” The EP contains seven songs, including two of her three singles, excluding only “Tattoos.”
Before embarking on her solo music career, Rapp won the 2018 Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress and starred as Regina George in “Mean Girls” on Broadway from June 2019 to the musical’s abrupt closing in March 2020. Rapp’s performance background and intense past vocal training perfectly translates to an impeccable, stand-out concert.
Rapp’s stunning vocals truly set her apart from other artists. With an exceptionally controlled and angelic voice, she makes complex and difficult songs sound easy while effortlessly adding beautiful riffs. She is one of the few artists that sounds better live and unproduced than pre-recorded.
Rapp performed all eight of her released songs, opening with “Everything to Everyone,” followed by “Moon” and ending with “Too Well.” In the middle of her set, she performed a gorgeous unreleased song, “I Bruise Easily,” from her upcoming album, leaving fans intently hanging on to every word in awed silence. This moment of mid-show tranquility created a memorable and dynamic show.
Each of Rapp’s songs is written by herself about her experiences with relationships, breakups and mental health, making them relatable to her fans. While she sings about universal experiences, her lyrics are precise and beautiful, setting her apart from other pop stars. Complete with complex melodies and balanced background instrumentation, each song is addicting.
Especially for fans with relatable experiences, it is satisfying to sing along in a concert setting, surrounded by others who share a love for Rapp’s music. The vibe throughout the audience was positive and friendly; people had a lot of fun, but stayed respectful, safe and not overly rowdy. One concert-goer passed out homemade paper moons for people to hold up during the song “Moon,” uniting the audience from the beginning.
The intimacy of the Troubadour, with a capacity of 500 people, greatly added to the engagement and excitement among the audience. Arriving just an hour before doors opened ensured fans a spot near the front of the crowd, where they were able to interact with Rapp directly. However, even those towards the back were captivated by her comedic but heartfelt and relatable personal anecdotes as well as her charisma and stage presence. During the show, Rapp took videos on fans’ phones, hugged fans, and often verbally interacted with specific people in the audience between songs, giving the show a personal and joyful charm.
Adding to the positive vibe was the stage set up which was simple and casual, with her three band members playing piano, bass, keyboard and drums behind her, including her distinctive white piano, and with a projection of her name behind them. During “I Bruise Easily” and “What Can I Do,” Rapp herself played the piano, and during “Colorado,” she played the bass. Her variety of talent showcased throughout the show was balanced and flowed smoothly.
Rapp’s first concert was an undeniable success, leaving fans more than satisfied and fervently looking forward to future shows. With vocals that set her apart from all others as well as a well-developed stage presence and a comedically sarcastic personality, Rapp delivered an unforgettable performance, despite it being on the shorter side.
The first show of Renee Rapp’s “Everything to Everyone” tour on Dec. 6 at the Troubadour began at 8:15 p.m. and lasted around 45 minutes. This tour included an additional show at 10:45 p.m on Dec. 6 as well as five more in New York, Massachusetts, and Georgia, concluding on Dec. 18.
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